/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51597549/usa-today-9632944.0.jpg)
Colorado Rockies: Six Players, Six Key Free Agency Questions | Rox Pile
The Rockies currently have six players who remain unsigned from the 2016 roster heading into 2017, including De La Rosa, Boone Logan, Ryan Raburn, Nick Hundley, Mark Reynolds, and Daniel Descalso. Kevin Henry over at Rox Pile thinks that of the bunch, only Descalso will return. The truth of the matter is, while some of those guys have been good players for the Rockies at various points, the team simply has better, younger options who should be seeing the field. Jorge De La Rosa especially has been a loyal servant of the club, but with the Rockies' talent at pitching finally starting to materialize, it's time to pass the torch. Raburn and Reynolds are guys I think can be easily replaced, and I simply don't trust Boone Logan's ability to perform well here consistently. As Kevin notes, Logan showed signs of improvement each of the past three years, but he's simply not someone we should be throwing money at. Finally, I can see the point for returning Descalso simply due to his versatility, but I think he, like many of the guys on this list, is someone who is easily replaced internally.
3 Won! Tribe blowout has Cubs on brink | MLB
I would be lying if I said that I ever thought the Tribe had a chance to win this thing. I didn't think so when they beat out Detroit to win the AL Central pennant, not when they swept a very good Red Sox team, and not when they beat the Blue Jays in five. I didn't even give them that much of a chance when they took Game 1 from the Cubs, burying them 6-0. But here we are, with the Tribe just one game away from winning the World Series. Trevor Bauer takes on Lester tonight at Wrigley and the Cubbies find themselves with their backs against the wall in their own city. It should be wild.
The Difference Between Cleveland and Chicago's Bullpen | FanGraphs
Usage: That's the difference. Everyone is talking about the Tribe's phenomenal trio of Miller, Shaw, and Allen for a good reason. Those guys are really, really darn good. Miller in particular is on a whole different level with his ability to come in every single game and throw a couple dominant innings. But what's been getting a bit lost in the mix with the hype surrounding Cleveland's bullpen is the fact that the Cubs have a pretty darn good trio as well in Chapman, Rondon, and Strop, but they're just not getting the ball as much as the Tribe's trio. And the result? Cleveland is on the brink of winning the World Series against a really good Chicago team (I realize there are way more contributing factors than that).
The ability of Cleveland's top trio to come in to the game in any inning and in any situation has given Terry Francona a world of flexibility. Of course game flow dictates to some extent the usage of the bullpen and injuries are still possibly affecting Strop and Rondon, but Chapman's warmup routine preventing him from throwing anytime but the ninth? Give me a break. I know many will disagree with me here, but if I'm Joe Maddon, I'm getting Chapman out there. You have to play your best players when the stage is this big, and I'd rather have a Chapman who couldn't warm up to his exact liking on the mound instead of a Justin Grimm or whomever else.